None: Chapter 144

Continuous The praise of Satyaki

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच अजितो द्रोणराधेयविकर्णकृतवर्मभिः। तीर्णः सैन्यार्णवं वीरः प्रतिश्रुत्य युधिष्ठिरे॥
Dhritarashtra said Having promised to Yudhishthira to do so, the heroic Satyaki crossed the ocean of my troops, unvanquished cven by Drona, Radha's son, Vikarna and Kritavarman.

स कथं कौरवेयेण समरेष्वनिवारितः। निगृह्य भूरिश्रवसा बलाद् भुवि निपातितः॥
How was it then that Satyaki checked and humiliated by the scion of the Kurus namely Bhurisravas, was brought down on the ground with force.

शृणु राजन्निहोत्पतिं शैनेयस्य यथा पुरा। यथा च भूरिश्रवसो यत्र ते संशयो नृप॥
Sanjaya said Hear, O monarch, how the grandson of Sini came to being in days gone by as also how Bhurisravas was descended. O ruler of men, this will explain all your doubts.

अत्रेः पुत्रोऽभवत् सोमः सोमस्य तुबुधः स्मृतः। बुधस्यैको महेन्द्राभः पुत्र आसीत् पुरूरवाः॥
Atri had Soma for his son and Soma's son was called Buddha. Buddha's son was Pururava whose effulgence was like that of the great Indra.

पुरूरवस आयुस्तु आयुषो नहुषः सुतः। नहुषस्य ययातिस्तु राजा देवर्षिसम्मतः।
Pururava had a son called Ayush; and Ayush's son was Nahusha. Nahusha had Yayati for his son who was a royal sage equal to a celestial.

ययातेर्देवयान्यां तु यदुर्येष्ठोऽभवत् सुतः। यदोरभूदन्ववाये देवमीढ इति स्मृतः॥
By his wife Deveyani Yayati had Yadu for his eldest son. In the dynasty of Yadu was born a son called by the name of Devamida.

यादवस्तस्य तु सुतः शूरस्त्रैलोक्यसम्मतः। शूरस्य शौरिवरो वसुदेवो महायशाः॥
Devamnida of Yadu's race had Sura for his son, who was highly esteemed in all the three worlds. Sura had for his son that foremost of men namely the illustrious Vasudeva.

धनुध्यनवरः शूरः कार्तवीर्यसमो युधि। तद्वीर्यश्चापि तत्रैव कुले शिनिरभून्नृप॥
Foremost of all wielders of bows, Sura was equal to Kartikeya in battle. O king, in his race and equal to him in energy was born Sini, O monarch.

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु देवकस्य महात्मनः। दुहितु, स्वयंवरे राजन् सर्वक्षत्रसमागमे॥
At this time, O monarch the Sayamvara of the daughter of the illustrious Devaka took place in which numerous Kshatriyas were present.

तत्र वै देवकी देवीं वसुदेवार्थमाशु वै। निर्जित्य पार्थिवान् सर्वान् रथमारोपयच्छिनिः॥
In that Sayamvara, Sini having vanquished the kings, placed the princess Devaki on his car, with a view to marry her to Vasudeva.

तां दृष्ट्वा देवकी शूरो रथस्थां पुरुषर्षभ। नामृष्यत महातेजाः सोमदत्तः शिने प॥
O foremost of men, O king, then beholding the princess Devaki on the car of Sini of Sura's line, the highly puissant Somadatta could not broke it.

तयोर्युद्धमभूद् राजन् दिनार्ध चित्रमद्भुतम्। बाहुयुद्धं सुबलिनोः प्रसक्तं पुरुषर्षभ॥
Thereupon, O king, a battle was fought between then, that occupied half a day and was beautiful to look at. O foremost of men, a wrestling encounter then took place between those heroes endued with great heroism.

शिनिना सोमदत्तस्तु प्रसह्य भुवि पातितः। असिमुद्यम्य केशेषु प्रगृह्य च पदा हतः॥
Somadatta then was seized upon and felled on the ground by Sini; and the latter raising his sword and holding the former by the hair, struck him with his legs.

मध्ये राजसहस्राणां प्रेक्षकाणां समन्ततः। कृपया च पुनस्तेन स जीवेति विसर्जितः॥
In the midst of thousands of kings who were witnessing the combat, from all sides. Then out of mercy; the latter abandoned the former saying go, live.'

तदवस्थः कृतस्तेन सोमदत्तोऽथ मारिष। प्रासादयन्महादेवममर्षवशमास्थितः॥
Reduced to that humiliatory condition, O sire, Somadatta, influenced by anger began to offer worship to Mahadeva in order to propitiate him.

तस्य तुष्टो महादेवो वराणां वरदः प्रभुः। वरेण च्छन्दयामास स तु वने वरं नृपः॥
That foremost of all boon-giving deities namely Mahadeva became pleased with him and requested him to ask for his desired boon. The royal son of Somadatta then asked for this boon-

पुत्रमिच्छामि भगवन् यो निपात्य शिनेः सुतम्। मध्ये राजसहस्राणां पदा हन्याच संयुगे॥
“I wish to have a son, O master, who will strike down Sini's son in the midst of thousands of kings in battle and who will strike the latter with his leg." related to you

तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा सोमदत्तस्य पार्थिव। एवमस्त्विति तत्रोक्त्वा स देवोऽन्तरधीयत॥
Hearing these words of Somadatta O king, the god disappeared then and there saying 'so be it.'

स तेन वरदानेन लब्धवान् भूरिदक्षिणम्। अपातयच समरे सौमदत्तिः शिनेः सुतम्॥
Through the virtue of that boon Somadatta afterwards got the liberal-minded and munificent Bhurisravas for his son; and it was thus that Somadatta's son succeeded in throwing down the descendant of Sini.

पश्यतां सर्वसैन्यानां पदा चैनमताडयत्। एतत् ते कथितं राजन् यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि।॥
And in striking him with his legs in the presence of the whole army. O king now I have what you asked me.

न हि शक्यो रणे जेतुं सात्वतो मनुजर्षौः। लब्धलक्ष्याश्च संग्रामे बहुशश्चित्रयोधिनः॥
Indeed that scion of the Satvata race (Satyaki) cannot be worsted in battle by even the foremost of men. The Vrishni heroes are all of sure aim and are acquainted with all modes of warfare.

देवदानवगन्धर्वान् विजेतारो ह्यविस्मिताः। स्ववीर्यविजये युक्ता नैते परपरिग्रह्यः॥
They can defeat the very gods the Danavas and the Gandharvas. They confounded; they fight depending totally on their own energy. They never seek other's help.

न तुल्यं वृष्णिभिरिह दृश्यते किंचन प्रभो। भूतं भव्यं भविष्यच बलेन भरतर्षभ।॥
O lord, there is none in this world equal to the Vrishnis. O foremost of the Bharata's none, has been, are or will be a match for the Vrishnis in might.

न ज्ञातिमवमन्यन्ते वृद्धानां शासने रताः। न देवासुरगन्धर्वा न यक्षोरगराक्षसाः॥
They never condemn their kinsmen and are ever observant of the commands of the elders. are never Neither the gods nor the Asuras, nor the Gandharvas, nor the Yakshas nor the Rakshasas.

जेतारो वृष्णिवीराणां किं पुनर्मानवा रणे। ब्रह्मद्रव्ये गुरुद्रव्ये ज्ञातिस्वे चाप्यहिंसकाः॥
Can conquer the Vrishni heroes, what to speak of men! They never cast covetousglances on the things of possessions of their kinsmen, preceptor or those of the Brahmanas.

एतेषां रक्षितारश्च ये स्युः कस्याञ्चिदापदि। अर्थवन्तोन चोत्सित्ता ब्रह्मण्याः सत्यवादिनः॥
They never covet also the properties of those that render then help on any time of distress. Devoted to the Brahinanas and truthful in speech, they never show any pride although they are wealthy.

समर्थान् नावमन्यन्ते दीनानभ्युद्धरन्ति च। नित्यं देवपरा दान्तास्त्रातारश्चाविकत्थनाः॥
Those who are really strong are regarded as weak by the Vrishnis and are rescued by them when involved in any danger. Ever devoted to the worship of gods, the Vrishnis are selfcontrolled munificent and shorn of pride.

तेन वृष्णिप्रवीराणां चक्रं न प्रतिहन्यते। अपि मेरुं वहेत् कश्चित् तरेद् वा मकरालयम्।
For this it is that prowess of the Vrishni heroes are never thwarted. It is possible for one to carry on his shoulders the Meru mountain or the swim across the very ocean.

न तु वृष्णिप्रवीराणां समेत्यान्तं व्रजेन्नृप॥ एतत् ते सर्वमाख्यातं यत्र ते संशयः प्रभो। कुरुराज नरश्रेष्ठ तव व्यपनयो महान्।॥
But it is impossible for him to obtain advantage over the Vrishnis in an encounter with them. O lord, I have now explained to you everything in respect of which you entertained doubts. After all, O king of the Kurus, O foremost of men, yours is the great fault (that had bred this war).